Monday, June 08, 2009

Montreal Gazette Speaks Up For Autistic Children

With few exceptions the mainstream media coverage of autism disorders has been abysmal. Even now many in the MSM can do little more than engage in a feeding frenzy over Oprah Winfrey's presentation of health issues including autism disorders. Seldom is concern for how to actually help autistic children or adults reflected in the popular press. Seldom are straightforward facts such as the long proven efficacy of ABA in helping autistic children overcome, in whole or in part, their autistic deficits been mentioned in the MSM. Yesterday the Montreal Gazette spoke up for autistic children and did it well.

In Autistic children deserve better the Gazette argued that the Quebec government of Liberal Premier Jean Charest should amend a piece of legislation, Bill 21, dealing with changes to various legislative rules in the field of mental health and human relations by permitting psychologists specially trained in autism to diagnose and treat persons with autism. Here in New Brunswick psychologists already diagnose and treat autism disorders. In making this argument the Gazette also pointed out that The American Academy of Pediatrics states that "the intensive treatment, known as Applied Behavioral Analysis, is now of "well-documented" effectiveness as a medical treatment" a point seldom made by the mainstream media.

The Montreal Gazette has spoken up, with wisdom and clarity, on behalf of autistic children in Quebec. Hopefully the learned autism journalists at Canada's CBC can take time out from their love affair with Michelle Dawson, Dr. Laurent Mottron and the anti-autism treatment Neurodiversity movement and do the same.

4 comments:

This is certainly a step in the right direction. The Montreal Gazette has certainly done its part in bringing forth autism realities that are being faced by many parents from all over the country.

That being said,we must acknowledge that mainstream media is lacking true understanding and initiative on true representation of autism. As mentioned in your post, autism is being misrepresented by CBC television,Michelle Dawson,Dr. Mottron and many ideologues. This only serves to skew the true autism realities. Sadly autism is not being given high priority.

Our 1st Annual AUPTIMISM Walkathon was a real success in terms of numbers of walkers (200-250)organisation,activities, and entertainment. However, we were really disappointed in lack of interest,understanding and presence of media (TV). Although we had contacted many local government officials as well as our local television media we were surprised to see how nobody cared to show up and acknowledge our event.

All this to say,although we had a great turn out we were very dissappointed in the apathetic attitude of government and TV- media.

Cologne, Germany (PRWEB) June 8, 2009 — The mother of a Bayport, New York girl reaches out to President Obama to make stem cell therapy available in America after her daughter’s successful treatment in Germany at the XCell-Center in January 2009...

As with Newsweek,and ABC News in this country,I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the CBC to stop pushing the neurodiversity agenda.All three are permanently in ND's back pocket,and there is nothing you can do to change it.

That said,I am a little disappointed that this article would champion psychiatrists and psychologists to diagnose autism. Diagnose maybe,but not to properly measure impairment.I was diagnosed by a psychologist,and each time I had to be reevaluated I have only been seen by psychologists.Each one I have seen has been woefully ignorant of any condition that exists alongside autism,or would cause it.A condition that might make the autism worse,or effect the severity of it. Fragile X,Rett Syndrome,mitochondrial disease,even seizures.You know the stuff Ari Ne'man,Kevin Leitch et al call comorbid and unrelated conditions.

Many mental health professionals have almost as narrow a view of autism as any ND loudmouth.Some actually share Dr.Mottron's views.

The mental health profession has ,as a whole,dome an abysmal job of advocating for and helping autistics,autistics.They have a grand and glorious history of it. Bruno Bettelheim anyone?

The only way I see to solve this mess,is to have autism removed from the DSM,and no longer classified as a psychiatric disease.In order to do this,I would suggest that certain basic criteria be met for a diagnosis of ANY ASD:

*Intellectual or learning disabilities.

*Poor to no verbal skills.

*Regression.

*Developmental delay.

*Self-abuse and/or stereotypy.

If you don't have at least two of these,you don't get an ASD diagnosis.You get diagnosed with something else instead.I would suggest that Asperger's be reclassified as a personality disorder,not an ASD.

It's too late for the DSM-V,but I would really like to see something like this in future editions.

Also,don't forget the only real treatment that mental health professionals,and mainstream medicine as a whole repeatedly offers for the autism itself are SSRIs,in spite of study after study that prove not only that they do not work.Isn't it interesting that both the neurodiversity people,and the anti vaccine people are both against the use of SSRIs for autism,albeit not for the same reason,but both are against them.

101 Noteworthy Sites on Asperger's & Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Why ABA For Autism?

The effectiveness of ABA-based intervention in ASDs has been well documented through 5 decades of research by using single-subject methodology21,25,27,28 and in controlled studies of comprehensive early intensive behavioral intervention programs in university and community settings.29–40 Children who receive early intensive behavioral treatment have been shown to make substantial, sustained gains in IQ, language, academic performance, and adaptive behavior as well as some measures of social behavior, and their outcomes have been significantly better than those of children in control groups.31–4American Academy of Pediatrics, Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

"We have to look also at environmental factors, and from my point of view, the interaction between the genetic factors and the environmental factors ... It looks like some shared environmental factors play a role in autism, and the study really points toward factors that are early in life that affect the development of the child"
Joachim Hallmayer, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at Stanford University in California

Even Out Environmental and Genetic Autism Research Funding

Right now, about 10 to 20 times more research dollars are spent on studies of the genetic causes of autism than on environmental ones.

We need to even out the funding.

Irva Hertz-Picciotto, UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute Researcher

My Autism Pledge For Conor

Today I pledge to continue;I Pledge to continue to fight for the availability of effective autism treatments;I Pledge to continue to fight for a real education for autistic children;I Pledge to continue to fight for decent residential care for autistic adults;I Pledge to continue to fight for a cure for autism;I Pledge to continue finding joy in my son but not in the autism disorder that restricts his life;Today, and every day, I Pledge to continue to hope for a better life for Conor and others with autism, through accommodation, care, respect, treatment, and some day, a cure;Today, and every day, I Pledge to continue to fight for the best possible life for Conor, my son with autistic disorder.

Dr. Jon Poling : Blinders Won’t Reduce Autism

"Fortunately, the ‘better diagnosis’ myth has been soundly debunked. ... only a smaller percentage of this staggering rise can be explained by means other than a true increase.

Because purely genetic diseases do not rise precipitously, the corollary to a true autism increase is clear — genes only load the gun and it is the environment that pulls the trigger. Autism is best redefined as an environmental disease with genetic susceptibilities."

We should be investing our research dollars into discovering environmental factors that we can change, not more poorly targeted genetic studies that offer no hope of early intervention. Pesticides, mercury, aluminum, several drugs, dietary factors, infectious agents and yes — vaccines — are all in the research agenda.

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It's NOT About ME

I am the father of two sons one of whom is severely autistic with intellectual disability. I have advocated for autism services for autistic children, students and adults in New Brunswick, Canada and I blog and comment about autism on the world wide web. And I like to walk .. a lot.